CoVid-19 Awareness Update #4

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Since our last update to our members on Thursday March 14, we have seen vast changes to the culture in Canada, and changes to how we are all living our daily lives.

With the announcements of school closures, flight restrictions, increased testing, and the doubling of positive cases in Canada over the weekend, we can all acknowledge that this is a very fluid, fast moving situation.  With this in mind, and in the context of the announcements today by the Federal and Provincial Governments, we wanted to send an update to our members, to stay safe and ensure that best practices are being put in place for the operation of your individual businesses.

I have been in contact with several of the national lenders,  and AMC’s; and as you can imagine they are also busy dealing with their customers, business partners and industry stakeholders including appraisers.  I can assure you that they are keenly aware of the challenges ahead, including appraisers visiting properties in order to complete appraisal assignments.

Lenders are working at temporarily lowering the thresholds for lending based on Restricted Appraisal Reports (Drive-bys and Desktops), however in some cases they will continue to require Appraisal Reports in order to complete their lending processes.  With that in mind, we want to ensure your personal safety while you continue to carry out your daily business requirements.  We have developed a short check-list as a reminder for you, to help keep you and those you come in contact with safe, and healthy.

  • When booking an appointment, you may want to ask the occupant the following four questions:
  1. Have you or anyone in the dwelling travelled outside Canada within the last 14 days?
  2. Have you or anyone in the dwelling been in contact with someone who has travelled outside Canada within the last 14 days?
  3. Are you caring for anyone who is ill?
  4. Have you had any cold or flu-like symptoms with the last 14 days?

(If you receive a ‘Yes’ answer to any of these questions, it is recommended that you contact your Client or AMC to arrange for the order to be re-classified as a Restricted Appraisal Assignment)

In some cases, there will still be the need to complete an Appraisal Report assignment and inspect a subject property.  Depending on individual cases, it may be appropriate for appraisers to request their Client approve the use of current MLS photos in the appraisal report, in lieu of a personal viewing of the subject property.  Members are cautioned to ensure that they are not violating any contractual obligations of their agreement with local MLS providers when doing this.  Also, you are cautioned to be explicit in your appraisal report that the photos contained the report were not taken by the appraiser, but obtained from the MLS listing.  The use of an Extraordinary Assumption would be appropriate to ensure the Intended User is aware of this, and that the appraisal report is based on the Extraordinary Assumption that the photos included in the report represent the current quality and condition of the subject improvements.

When you contact a person to arrange a viewing of a property, there are a few things to talk to them about, and for you to keep in mind:

  • When you book the appointment, tell the occupant that:

a) You will need them to be prepared to open all the doors in the dwelling and turn all room lights on prior to the appraiser arriving so that there will be no ‘touch tasks’ for the appraiser.

b) The appraiser may be wearing a mask and gloves, for the protection of both the occupant and the appraiser.

c) The appraiser may be making a voice recording of the inspection, as well as taking numerous photos.

d) Social Distancing is still a key component to prevention, so the occupant should stay at least 1 metre from the appraiser at all times.

  • The appraiser should place a container of disinfectant wipes, purell, etc. on the hood of their vehicle before they enter the dwelling, so that when they leave the dwelling they can wipe down their hands, phone, measuring devices, etc. before they get back into their vehicle.
  • The best way to prevent the spread of the virus is to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; stop touching your face, mouth and nose, and limit contact with others.

 

There are issues with the wearing of masks, and as of today Health Canada has the following announcement posted on their website:

“If you are a healthy individual, the use of a mask is not recommended for preventing the spread of COVID-19.  Wearing a mask when you are not ill may give a false sense of security. There is a potential risk of infection with improper mask use and disposal. They also need to be changed frequently.  However, your health care provider may recommend you wear a mask if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 while you are seeking or waiting for care. In this instance, masks are an appropriate part of infection prevention and control measures. The mask acts as a barrier and helps stop the tiny droplets from spreading you when you cough or sneeze.”  Government of Canada – Mar 16-2020

Please consider this as you determine the best path for you to operate your individual business.  Our primary concern is for our members’ personal safety.  Social Distancing is still the key!

In keeping with the recommendations of Health Canada, and the Provincial Health Ministries, we are cancelling the following events:

  1. Mid-Term Board of Directors’ Meet and Greet scheduled for Friday April 03, 2020 in Calgary
  2. Mid-term Board or Directors’ Meeting scheduled for Saturday April 04, 2020 in Calgary
  3. CNA310 – Certified Appraisal Reviewer Course scheduled for Monday and Tuesday April 06 & 07, 2020 in Calgary
  4. CNA208 – Complex Property Appraisal Course scheduled for Monday and Tuesday April 27 & 28, 2020 in Toronto
  5. CNA210 – Report Writing Update Course scheduled for Wednesday April 29, 2020 in Toronto.

We are currently offering credits for the registration fee, and we are diligently working on alternative delivery methods for these and other CNAREA Courses in the near future.

Please regularly refer to the Health Canada and CNAREA websites for updates.  If you have any questions, please send them by email to Rob MacDonald at ceo@cnarea.ca.